After the huge success ofWandaVisionas the first MCU show on Disney+, all eyes are onThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierto seeif it can deliver another hit. LikeWandaVision, the new series will highlight some Marvel characters who, up until now, have been supporting players in the movies. While the show looks to tell a buddy action story between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, there is another even more dysfunctional relationship thatThe Falcon and the Winter Soldiermight be forced to address.
One of the most effective romantic relationships in the MCU has been the one between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter. It has been a sweet, tragic, and ultimately rewarding relationship that has stretched from the early days of the MCUright up until the end of Phase 3. It began with Steve and Peggy meeting during the war inCaptain America: The First Avengerbut they were torn apart when Steve made his sacrificial crashlanding in the Arctic and was lost for decades. They were met with even more heartbreak when Steve was brought back only to find Peggy a much older woman whose memory was fading inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. It was in that movie that Steve was also introduced to Sharon Carter, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, which began the most ill-advised romance in the MCU.
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InCaptain America: Civil War, Steve finds out that Peggy died in her sleep, and at her funeral, he also discovers that Sharon is actually Peggy’s niece. She becomes a close ally to Steve and even helps him escape the authorities. As they say goodbye to each other, Steve and Sharon share a passionate kiss with both suggesting they should have done that a while ago. And yet no one points out how incredibly messed up all of that is. Steve lost Peggy and could not be expected to just be alone for the rest of his life, but choosing her niece as his next romantic option is just sick. Not only did Peggy die days earlier, but while Steve was kissing Sharon, he was probably still carrying the locket with a photo of Peggy in it.
While there might have been plans to pursue the Steve and Sharon romance further, the idea was quickly dropped and it was decided that Peggy was indeed the one Steve was meant to be with.At the end ofAvengers: Endgame, Steve goes back in time to return the Infinity Stones and ends up staying to finally live his life with Peggy. This just adds another even weirder aspect to the whole drama. With Steve marrying Peggy, it can be presumed that Sharon knows her aunt’s husband as the guy she was once romantically involved with.
It’s likely that Marvel would rather that fans just forget about the whole Steve and Sharon thing, but withSharon returning forThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, that is going to be very hard. It would be one thing if Sharon was joining one of the upcoming projects likeHawkeyeorShang-Chi, butThe Falcon and the Winter Soldieris very much a movie about Captain America. Each main character in the show, including Sharon, is directly linked to Cap. At the center of the story is the question of Cap’s legacy and who will carry the shield going forward. Cap will be talked about a lot and for Sharon to just ignore their history together would just be weird.
So how should the show address such an awkward relationship? Well, with the complications of time travel, there could be some retconning involved. Perhaps the show will suggest that when Steve went back in time it somehow undid what happened between him and Sharon. That doesn’t really make sense for thetime travel rules thatAvengers: Endgameestablished, but those rules were a little flimsy to begin with. Another possibility is that Sharon will simply be happy for Steve and Peggy, realize that they were meant to be together, and move on with her own life.
Either of these choices seems like likely paths the show could take. However, they still ignore Steve’s wrongdoing in this scenario. It is not something that makes him an all-out deplorable character, but it is certainly a stain onthe MCU’s noblest hero. And because of that,The Falcon and the Winter Soldiershould acknowledge how wrong it was.
The show seems to beexploring the legacy of Captain Americaand the question of whether or not anyone else is worthy of carrying on his title. It would be interesting if this is presented as an example of how Steve Rogers was not this flawless person. Perhaps Sharon holds some resentment for what he did and is disillusioned with elevating him to this heroic stature. It seems unlikely that the MCU would start questioning a hero like Steve, especially now that he is gone from the MCU, but it could add an interesting element to the new show.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldierwill premiere on Disney+ on March 19.
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